Stolen puppy found in West Haven

Updated 9:43 pm, Thursday, July 12, 2012

A bulldog puppy worth $3,700 was taken from a Norwalk, Conn. pet store on Monday, July 9, 2012 by a man who tried to use a fake credit card, the store's owner said.

A bulldog puppy worth $3,700 was taken from a Norwalk, Conn. pet store on Monday, July 9, 2012 by a man who tried to use a fake credit card, the store's owner said.

Photo: Contributed

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Surveillance video of a man suspected of running off with stolen English bulldog vauled at $3,700 from a Norwalk pet store.

Surveillance video of a man suspected of running off with stolen English bulldog vauled at $3,700 from a Norwalk pet store.

Photo: Contributed Photo

Image 3 of 3

A bulldog puppy worth $3,700 was taken from a Norwalk, Conn. pet store on Monday, July 9, 2012 by a man who tried to use a fake credit card, the store's owner said.

A bulldog puppy worth $3,700 was taken from a Norwalk, Conn. pet store on Monday, July 9, 2012 by a man who tried to use a fake credit card, the store's owner said.

Photo: Contributed

Stolen puppy found in West Haven

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NORWALK -- An anonymous tip led Puppies of Westport owner Monty Kaufman and two Norwalk police officers to a West Haven home where they found a $3,700 bulldog puppy stolen from Kaufman's Norwalk store on Monday, police said.

Kaufman said he is relieved the dog was found. "I am taking him to the vet now because he definitely caught something," he said Thursday.

Police said tipsters led Kaufman and police to the West Haven home early Thursday afternoon. Kaufman said he received multiple tips over the past few days.

Earlier on Thursday he received a tip from "a very reliable source" that gave him a West Haven address and told him the dog was there.

Kaufman said after getting stonewalled by West Haven police on Wednesday, he was very pleased when Norwalk's new Police Chief Thomas Kulhawik allowed a detective and an officer to accompany him on his trip to West Haven Thursday.

Once there, they were able to get a West Haven police officer to come with them to the address, Kaufman said; but the resident there admitted to having a poodle, but denied having the bulldog.

Kaufman said he called back his tipster, who told him the residents were keeping the puppy on the back porch.

He peeked over the fence and saw the dog sitting on the porch. Calling the West Haven officer over allowed police to retrieve the dog, Kaufman said.

"I am feeling a lot better. It has been quite an ordeal, an unbelievable story trying to get people to help me," he said.

Kaufman said the dog's implanted identification microchip matched his stolen dog, but he knew he had his dog immediately.

Police interviewed the residents of the home, but it was uncertain Thursday whether an arrest has been made.

"Detectives put forth a lot of effort to solve this crime," said Norwalk police detective Lt. Timothy Murphy. "The case is still being investigated and one or more arrests are possible."